JENOVA's Will
by Esckel
Summary: Cloud and the others attempt of stopping Sephiroth has failed, he has them in his control. Unknown to the former SOLDIER however JENOVA's plan was still far from complete. This is my first fic, so any reviews or constructive criticism is appreciated. Rated T for Cid's language mostly. SephirothxTifa and a bit of YuffiexVincent. So hope you enjoy
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

Final Fantasy VII: JENOVA's Will

Chapter One: Enemies.

The Buster Sword clashed with the Masamune, as quick a lightning flash, sparks flew from the blades. They clashed again and again. Each strike with more and more force as Cloud and Sephiroth duelled in the Planet's Core.

"Your friends are beaten, Cloud. Soon you will share their fate" Sephiroth laughed. To him, Cloud was still weak, an ant to be stepped on. The fighters eyes clashed, both with the same blue glow.

"To think such a weak fool could survive Mako Addiction. You impress me Cloud. But you still lack strength." Sephiroth blocked a slash with ease.

"Shut up!" Cloud shouted. Leaping into the air for a Braver attack. Sephiroth followed him into the air, parrying the downwards slice and catching him by the throat with his free hand.

"Why do you persist? He asked Cloud, before he could reply; The ex-SOLDIER first class threw him towards the ground, next to his friends, trapped in time. Cloud struck the floor and rolled, stabbing into the ground to stop him from going near JENOVA's remains. He staggered slowly to his feet, weak, unable to continue the fight. Gathering his strength, Cloud used a Blade Beam, in a desperate hope to stop Sephiroth. It hit him. Creating a blast of smoke on contact. Cloud smiled, he couldn't believe it. The smoke faded, Sephiroth was still there, not a scratch on him. Laughing once more,, he jumped in front of Cloud, Masamune raised for a deadly strike. JENOVA's voice rang through his head, rather than the usual sweet promises, this was painful demands.

"Fool! Leave him, he has yet to be of use to me" she shouted, Sephiroth backed away, his head swamped in agony.

"He is worthless, tell me what you would have him do and I will do it" Sephiroth begged in his head, he had a desire to kill, a lust to finish Cloud Strife's miserable life. He raised the giant katana again. Cloud stood, paralyzed by weakness, exhaustion and confusion. A voice whispered in his head, sweetly.

"Do not worry child, allow me the use of your body and I will end him" Cloud knew he shouldn't trust it, but he wanted revenge, for Areith and for everyone else, he looked beside him. Tifa, trapped in Sephiroth's Stop spell, her eyes fearful.

"You are a fool, Sephiroth. We may share cells but you are undeserving of them." JENOVA, Sephiroth felt was leaving his mind, and entering Cloud's, infusing him with her power. Sephiroth muttered coldly.

"So, you want a vassal? Taking his body because you couldn't control mine?" he taunted. "I'll kill him first" Sephiroth, free from JENOVA's voice, slashed at Cloud's throat, the Buster Sword blocked him with ease. With a quick move, Cloud knocked the Masamune away and cut into Sephiroth's chest. As he fell, his consciousness faded, along with he noticed, the presence of Meteor above the Planet.

Back on the _Highwind_, Tifa and Vincent, having been freed from the Stop spells only to find Sephiroth, unconscious and bleeding and Cloud nowhere to be seen had chosen to bring Sephiroth aboard. Tifa looked over his muscled body, bandaged where he had been cut, by she assumed Cloud. When he wasn't psychotically trying to kill everything and everyone, he had a quiet serene beauty about him.

Tifa was worried. Vincent might have thought he could contain Sephiroth now he was stripped of his Materia, but Tifa wasn't sure, yet that didn't worry her as much as why Cloud was missing. It was odd, according to Cid, Meteor had just vanished from the sky suddenly, and he saw Cloud leaving North Crater alone. He had tried to get his attention, but Cloud had ignored him.

Tifa waited, wanting Sephiroth to wake up despite herself. The practical, fearful side of her said to punch in his throat and suffocate him for what he had done, but her curiosity and brotherly love for Cloud made her stay her hand. Sephiroth was the only one who could know about what happened back in North Crater.

Vincent appeared behind her.

"Barret wants to see you." His voice was cold, distant, as it always did. "I'll keep an eye on him" Tifa didn't move. Just continued to watch Sephiroth.

"He can come here, I won't let him have a chance to escape" she nodded at the fallen angel.

"You think I will? He has no Materia, and even you should be able to see something about him has changed. Our little Planet destroyer here seems somehow at peace."

Sephiroth heard all of this, he had regained consciousness but instead pretended to be unconscious, listening to the chat between them. Oddly he found, he was more peaceful, since JENOVA left him, he even laughed to himself at being called 'Our little Planet destroyer.'

The cold practicality that remained however told him to kill them all, but something was different, he felt changed, manipulated. The genius general suddenly realised JENOVA had been tampering with his emotions once she had entered his head.

Besides, they needed to know about what Cloud had become.

The two's bickering continued, the guide, Tifa, he thought her name was steadily getting angrier and angrier while the ex-Turk rejected everything she said in a cold tone. Sephiroth opened his eyes and sat up, suppressing the desire to fight that remained.

"Having fun?"

Tifa turned to him, red faced "And you shut up!" she turned back to Vincent, having not registered who she had just shouted at. Vincent stared at him, confusion cracking his arrogant demeanor. Tifa turned slowly towards him

"You!" she ran towards him "Where's Cloud?!" she shouted as she swung with a vicious fist. Before Sephiroth reacted, the ex-Turk did, catching her hand and pulling her back from the unbothered ex-SOLDIER. He had expected someone to try to attack him, especially Cloud's lover.

"You and Cloud were together?" he asked the enraged guide. Tifa turned crimson and even Vincent let out a rare burst of laughter.

"No" she muttered, "he was like a brother to me. He loved Aerith, and you killed her!" she went to attack again, only to be restrained by the red cloaked experiment.

"Forgive me, I was not myself. You are Tifa, correct?" she nodded. "Then I should apologise for that business in the reactor five years ago. Vincent, it is good to see you again" Sephiroth smiled at him.

"What! You know each other?" Tifa looked at Vincent dumbfounded. Then at the smiling angel, he looked oddly cute. She threw the thought away immediately, she couldn't think of him like that.

"You never told them?" Sephiroth asked, getting way to comfortable for the current situation.

"They tended to lose their temper every time someone mentioned your name after you killed Aerith" was Vincent's cold reply

"I have a lot of explaining to do." Get everyone around and I'll explain, I don't like to repeat myself." He commanded Vincent, who did what he was told and quickly went to get the rest of the heroes, leaving Tifa behind.

"Tifa, I won't ask for your forgiveness, all I ask is you understand why I did what I did five years ago."

"You did it because you're a psychopath who loves to kill." She replied coldly,

"It was JENOVA, when you fought her, in North Crater, didn't she speak to you? Inside your head?" Tifa's face went a shade whiter, Sephiroth knew he was right, he always was. She nodded again. "Imagine that, only stronger, my will was weak back in Nibelheim, it was when I discovered was born from an experiment. She used that, once I walked into that Reactor, I wasn't myself, she controlled me, changed my emotions, made me kill." Somehow Tifa believed him.

"I know" she muttered "When I felt that voice, I almost jumped to JENOVA's side, it took all my will to continue fighting. I understand how she could have got in your head. But I won't, can't forgive you for what you did" she said clearly, her confidence returning

"I understand" Sephiroth replied. Tifa detected genuine guilt in his voice. An awkward silence filled the room. Vincent seemed to be taking his time. A voice over an intercom sounded,

"Everyone, get topside now. That includes you, Sephi. A Shinra helicopter is blocking us, get ready for a fight."

"You're lucky" Vincent appeared back at the door, Masamune in hand, he passed it to Sephiroth. "Time to prove yourself" Sephiroth and Tifa followed him topside.

A lone helicopter streaked the dusk horizon, it hovered above the _Highwind_. The black tinted windows, hid the pilot and anyone else in the chopper from view. Someone dropped out of it, a black hood and plain white mask obscuring his face. He stood alone, before the assembled crew. Tifa, Vincent, Barret, Cait Sith, Yuffie, Red XIII, Cid and of course Sephiroth.

"Who ar' you? Since you must be ugly hidin' your face, you can tell us so we don't have to rip the mask away!" shouted Cid, the vulgar tongued captain. The figure, clearly male, laughed.

"Cid, I am not ugly." The voice was cold, familiar, but oddly tainted. Sephiroth ran forward, slipping through the group towards the masked man, wanting to prove himself to AVALANCHE. In one fluid motion Sephiroth slashed downwards at the man, hoping to split him in two. The man side-stepped the attack, easily. A fist crashed into Sephiroth's chest, aggravating his injuries and winding him, he fell to his knees. The man before him held a hand in the air, lightning crackled around it.

"If only you could see the irony" A fist crashed into the masked man's face, smashing the mask. Quickly, the hooded man, now unmasked, backed away from them. Sephiroth looked to his saviour, it was Tifa, _that _surprised him. He had honestly expected if anyone was to save him, it would be Vincent. Tifa helped him up,

"You okay?" she asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

"Yes I'm fine" he replied, ashamed he needed help to begin with. The hooded man started laughing, having backed away until he stood on the very edge of the airship.

"Tifa, you're pathetic, you all are. Helping the man you all set out to kill." He lowered his hood, blonde hair spiked up instantly, a faint blue glow came from his eyes.

"C…Cloud?" Tifa sounded astonished.

"What the fuck are you doing in a Shinra chopper boy?" Cid shouted. Cloud laughed.

"You have no idea. I am no longer Cloud," he spread his arms out "I am JENOVA!" he shouted. There was a pause, silent astonishment as his words sank in.

"I'm still goin' call you Cloud" Barret responded first.

"As you wish, now for a parting gift" Cloud jumped from the airship, a bolt of lightning struck where he was standing, tearing it's way through the airship.

"We're going down! Hold on to whatever you can!" Cid shouted, Tifa grabbed Sephiroth's arm as they braced for a crash.

"I'm sorry," Sephiroth muttered "I tried to stop her" The ship crashed into the ground, throwing everyone around, causing mass chaos around the airship, something hit Tifa on the back of her head, and all she was aware of was a blur and strong arms holding her safely. The airship slowly came to a stop. Tifa was only aware of strong arms carrying her, it reminded her of that time back in Nibelheim, where Sephiroth had slashed her.

She could never forgive him, _but she could forget what was done_


	2. Chapter 2: Uncertainty

Sorry about how long it took for the next chapter, i had a funeral and a date . Anyway enjoy

Disclaimer (Forgot to do this last time) I do not own Final Fantasy, which is devastating.

Chapter 1: Uncertainty

Tifa's head ached as her eyes opened, she was in a bed, wrapped up warmly in thick blankets. Looking around she could see familiar sights, the piano, even the walls seemed oddly memorable. Realisation struck her, this was her house. Her old one, back in Nibelheim. _How am I here?_ She wondered.

"Heeey, you're awake." A voice from the door said, loud enough to aggravate her already burning skull.

"Good morning Yuffie" she replied. Yuffie got in her face,

"It's the afternoon sleepyhead. Anyway, get up, we all have to go to the old Shinra mansion, it's where we've been told to stay." Yuffie threw her some clothes, her usual white tank top and skirt. Then she turned her back while Tifa got dressed.

"So we're in Nibelheim, how did I get here? I remember passing out." Tifa asked as she pulled the top over her head.

"Sephi did it, he kept hold of you, and dragged you out of the ruins of _Highwind_. Poor Cid, he's devastated, and Barret and Red has been giving Sephiroth trouble. If they keep it up he might go insane again." Yuffie sounded scared.

"He won't do that." Tifa got out of bed. "Anyway where are they?" Tifa asked "The mansion?" They started to walk out of the house. No one was inside.

"Um, Sephi is, Barret told him to prove himself by killing all the monsters in there, everyone else is at the inn I think. Except Vincent, he wandered off somewhere." Yuffie seemed to mumble when she talked about Vincent. Tifa smiled, her crush was well known to everybody, everybody except Vincent. He was oblivious to such things.

"Let's go see Sephiroth then, check if he's okay and to thank him" Yuffie smiled,

"Awww, has Tifa got a new crush?" she teased before dodging the punch that came her way.

"Shut up! No way, not after what he's done." exclaimed Tifa.

They walked in awkward silence. Yuffie still bubbled with questions she knew better than to ask. Tifa meanwhile was being relaxed by the nostalgia of her hometown. As they got to the front door of the Shinra mansion, Tifa and Yuffie could hear sounds of combat. Yuffie rushed ahead, pushing open the reluctant doors that moaned at being used with a creak of rusty hinges. Inside, Sephroth was in battle, the Masamune stained with monster blood. Before him stood a Lost Number, entirely red. It threw spells at him, tiring him.

_Barret still hasn't given him any Materia, _Tifa realised.

Sephiroth blocked a Fira spell on the edge of Masamune, deflecting it back at Lost Number. The beast grinned as it crashed against it's body, not hurting it, only creating a cloud of smoke. Sephiroth charged into the smoke suddenly. Tifa and Yuffie waited for him to re-emerge, he didn't.

"Help him!" Yuffie shouted, they both rushed towards the smoke as it began to clear. Yuffie dove into the smoke, something was to her right, barely visible in the black smoke. She kicked it, hard. The little ninja packed a big punch, the thing dodged it.

"What are you doing!" the thing shouted, it was Sephiroth. The smoke cleared. Lost Number was dead and fading. Sephiroth stood tall, but agitated at being attacked.

"I should have known Barret would try something!" he grabbed Yuffie and lifted her into the air.

"It was an accident!" she shouted back.

"Like hell it was!" Sephiroth tightened his grip

"Get off her Sephiroth, a fighter as good as you should know she couldn't have seen what she aimed at in that smoke." Tifa's tone was cold as ice. If Sephiroth tried something she was more than ready to charge him.

_And he'd finish the job from the Reactor_. The martial artist suppressed a shudder.

"Maybe, what are you doing here anyway? I thought Barret wanted this place to kill me."

"He probably does." Tifa replied. "But I wanted to see if you were okay."

"Thank you. Barret was wrong," he pointed to what was left of Lost Number, "that was the last monster in here. It would take a lot more to kill me." Sephiroth gave an odd smirk.

An odd shiver ran down Tifa's spine. She ignored it.

"So, job done. Let's go tell Barret" she tried to sound calm, but she hated herself on the inside. Sephiroth walked further into the mansion.

"Come on" he beckoned, then continued, not checking to see if they followed.

"Should we?" Yuffie asked Tifa nodded. They walked after him, he stood before a false wall. Tifa swallowed, she knew what was down there, and she knew it had been the start of Sephiroth's descent into madness. _Would it re-start it? _Sephiroth turned to Yuffie,

"Do you have any sort of burning Materia?" he looked so innocent when he asked, but the blood covered sword proved otherwise.

"Umm, yes" Yuffie replied, trying to drag out the conversation.

"Could I borrow it please? Just for a few minutes" Sephiroth asked in the same tone of a five year old asking for sweets. Yuffie looked at Tifa.

"Here" Tifa put a hand to the bracelet she wore, a green orb emerged from it, "Take mine, it's Firaga" she threw it to him. Sephiroth smiled once more, then caught the orb on the flat of Masamune easily. Tifa and Yuffie stared shocked at the impressive feat. Sephiroth let out a giggle. At least that's what it sounded like to Tifa, although it was probably just a regular laugh. The Materia sank into the giant blade.

Sephiroth tightened his grip on the hilt of his blood covered katana, flames ran up the blade. With a twitch of the Masamune the false wall fell to pieces.

"Couldn't you have just opened it?" Yuffie asked. Sephiroth turned to her, blank expression, with the blazing blade in his hand he looked like some mythical knight, which Yuffie had said before was something he looked like anyway. After meeting Yuffie's eyes Sephiroth gave a short shrug.

"I could have, but I wanted to see if you would trust me" Sephiroth tone went blank. Putting a hand over the Masamune and drawing out the Materia he had borrowed from Tifa.

"Something isn't right about this town" he muttered. He passed the Materia back to her. "Go see for yourself" he left without another word.

Yuffie looked at Tifa, chewing on her lip in a desperate attempt of holding millions of questions within her. Tifa nodded curtly, her way of telling the little ninja she could ask what she wants.

"What does he mean? This is Nibelheim, just how it always was right? I mean you were even in your old place not that long ago."

"He has a point Yuffie, my house was burned down, by him." Yuffie's eyes went wide in realization. A low tune came to life in Yuffie's pocket, interrupting the conversation. The sound was odd, in such a dark place that a happy victory tune was coming from the little ninja's pocket. Regardless of the time or place that song always filled Tifa with hope and pride. Yuffie reached into her pocket and after digging through some gil she had extracted her phone from its depths.

"Hello?" she said down the speaker on the phone as she placed it to her ear. Tifa stared to examine the room closely, paintings covered the walls although decay had damaged them so Tifa couldn't recognize most of them. A loud screech, one of metal against a strong, firm wall returned Tifa's attention to Yuffie, who had slashed the wall closest to her with a giant shurikan. The phone had fallen on the floor.

"Yuffie, what, what's wrong?" Tifa stomach dropped, something felt horrible.

"It's Valentine, he's" she sobbed suddenly. "He's been found in the mountains, he's hurt badly. Everyone's going to help." Tears ran from her eyes.

"Where's Sephiroth!?" Tifa shouted. Fear in her heart, Yuffie looked at her with wide, blood shot eyes.


	3. Chapter 3: Doubt

Okay. I know i said this one would be longer than the last but, it's not. I wanted to end it in a certain way, and i got to that part faster than i thought i would so sorry for that. Also there is a bit more swearing in this one, not loads but more than usual for me. But it made drama so it's all good in the end.

Thank you so much for the View, Reviews, Follows and the one Favorite from **CupofTeaforAliceandHattar **(Hope that's right) I really am grateful for all of them so just thank you so much and enoy

Disclaimer: Still no ownership *sigh*

JENOVA's Will

Chapter 3: Doubt

"Yuffie calm down!" Tifa shouted, the little ninja was already gone, leaving the martial artist far behind her. She rushed through mountains searching desperately for Valentine, _her Valentine_. Without stopping she ran through caves and all around. Regardless of how desperate she wished to find Vincent her body couldn't hold out long enough, Yuffie's body came to a halt in the green coloured cavern, gasping for breath the little ninja rested against a wall for a moment. Tear filled eyes roaming around the cave she stood in.

Then she spotted it; a line of red, dreadfully out of place in the emerald cavern, it seemed to go towards the bridge. Her find rejuvenating her body Yuffie came closer to the red. It was wet,

_Blood_

Her heart went heavy as the grief stricken ninja sprinted with renewed vigour towards the bridge. Running into the light and the refreshing breeze of that Mt Nibel housed Yuffie found it. At first it looked like a puddle of red and black before the bridge, it took her a moment to realize what lay before her was Vincent.

"No!" she crouched beside him, grief flooding out of her. Vincent was covered with blood and cuts, his eyes were closed. The sliced up remains of Cerberus lay beside him.

"Wake up!" Yuffie screamed, hugging the still warm body of Vincent. The ex-Turk opened his eyes and met Yuffie's bloodshot ones.

"My," he coughed, violently, "little whirlwind" he smiled.

"Vincent, who did this was it Sephiroth? Tell me!" she begged him.

"Yuffie," he lent up and kissed her slightly. Yuffie's eyes went wide in shock, she had no idea that Vincent felt anything for her. And now she might lose him.

"Vin…" she couldn't get her words out.

"Sorry, I had too" his eyes closed peacefully

"Vincent!" Yuffie screamed. Revenge boiled in her. She would kill whoever had done this.

"Bastard" said a rough, yet familiar voice.

"I'm gonna kill you, you fucker!" shouted another louder voice. Yuffie looked to them, Cid and Barret. Neither looked at her though, rather across the bridge. The distraught ninja followed their gaze.

Sephiroth

The fallen angel stood on the other side of the bridge, Masamune drenched in blood. His face unreadable due to the distance. Barret raised his gun arm.

"First Cloud, now Vincent. You're gunna be sorry pretty boy!" Barret roared "Big Shot!" An orange blast erupted from his gun, crashing into Sephiroth. A giant ball of smoke covered the cliff Sephiroth had stood on.

"It's okay Yuffie, he'll be fine." Cid had kneeled beside her, "He's still alive and Tifa and the dog's on their way here. They'll heal him. You'll see"

Yuffie barely heard the pilots words, she watched the steadily clearing smoke. The ex-SOLDIER still stood where he always had, not a mark on him from Barret's attack. Yuffie stood up tall and vengeful. The ninja went to charge across the bridge. Cid grabbed her and wrapped her in a tight hug.

"I've lost enough, I refuse to lose you too. You, you're like a daughter to me Yuff'" Yuffie tried in vain to escape the hold, want of revenge burnt into her soul. A snap echoed on the cliffs, Sephiroth had cut through the ropes of the bridge, making it collapse before retreating further into the cliffs.

**Back in Nibelheim**

Everyone, except Yuffie and Vincent, was gathered in the mansion's main hall. They had pulled any sofas or chairs they could find into the room and turned it into a meeting place of sorts. Vincent was not among them as he needed his rest. Despite the incredible amount of healing magic used on him (Red XIII had claimed he wouldn't be able to cast a simple Fire spell with the amount of energy he used) Vincent had still not fully recovered, and it was unknown if he ever would.

Yuffie was technically with them, but was a bit preoccupied. She had outright refused to leave Mt Nibel until she had killed Sephiroth, forcing Cid to drag her out on his shoulders. Unable to leave her alone for even a moment as she would likely escape to renew her search the very second she could, AVALANCHE had resorted to extreme measures. Tying her to a chair.

Even that didn't stop the little whirlwind; now restrained she had decided to insult everyone she saw and interrupt every conversation she could hear. The group couldn't bring themselves to stop her speech and instead withstood her comments without complaint.

The group had attempted to think of a way to get to Sephiroth but with Yuffie and raw grief battling against them they made little progress and eventually departed to different rooms leaving Yuffie with Cid, who just before arriving at the mansion had decided to buy a rather excessive amount of alcohol and now was drinking his third bottle.

"You're all just a bunch of cowards, hiding down here afraid of the pretty boy in the mountains. But that's just it isn't it, you don't care unless it's someone you care about. That's why no one gives a shit. Nobody cared about my Valentine and now you're all just trying to forget about him." Yuffie shouted loudly. "Of course, I'm just surprised you didn't put him back in his coffin and let him rot. After all you all seem to care _so much_ about him!" she screamed.

"Would you shu' up Yuff'? Your being stupid" Cid complained as he reached for his fourth bottle. Yuffie looked at him, eyes full of hate.

"I'm being stupid!? Me, who's sitting in here drinking because he lost an airship! Huh? You. You try to act so great, like you always know what's right. Then why are you getting pissed here, alone? You should be with Shera but you weren't even man enough there were you. No it's all about _Captain Cid_ with his giant airship he was clearly over compensating with!" she screamed at him. Cid's face went red with rage.

"Shut it you! Stop trying to upset everyone, no one is exactly happy around here and you can't change that, but you could at least stop making it worse for everyone! You are being kept here because we can't go chasing after Sephiroth, he'd kill you Yuff'!" Cid shouted back jumping onto his feet only to lose his footing and fall back into his seat.

"Both of you stop it!" a female voice shouted on the stairs. They both stared at her.

"Well" started Yuffie, "If it isn't the slut of our little group! Cloud goes away and you immediately come onto the next guy you see huh? I'm amazed you didn't try anything with him back on the _Highwind_!" Cid flinched at the name of the airship while Tifa's jaw dropped at Yuffie's rant.

"I guess you have a thing for guys with big swords Tifa, but don't you know that's normal over-compensation? Then again you'd be better at telling us that the amount of times you tried it with Cloud! I Bet that's why you were so grateful to Sephiroth, not because he saved you during the crash but because he finished off Aerith so there would be no one else to fuck Cloud!" Yuffie's eyes were bloodshot and she gasped for breath after her speech, not caring of its consequences. Tears flooded Tifa's eyes and she ran from the room. Cid stared at Yuffie in a drunken haze.


	4. Chapter 4 Chances

Just going to say, sorry about the late update once again (i swear i had very little to do before i started writing this) college decided it would be fun to make me redo TWO of my assignments. Anyway, next week i'm on holiday so no updates until Friday i THINK and then it's Easter and i'm pretty much free for the time off so i'll try to do a few chapters to make up for the late updates. Also Thank you once again for the Review, and the Follows and the Favourites, i honestly didn't expect anything good to come from this but i'm surprised to see i was wrong. But i'm rambling

Disclaimer: If i owned Final Fantasy, i would have re-made Final Fantasy 7 by now, jus' saying

Chapter 4: Chances

A cold dark room, something Vincent was certainly used to having been sleeping in a coffin for years, this was different though. Something told him he was needed out of this room, but his body would not allow his desire. Severely wounded he had no choice but to rest and wait for his recovery, if he was to recover at all.

Turning his head as slowly as he could, muscles aching even from such a small movement. Pain wasn't something he wasn't unaccustomed to, and with a slight grunt he continued his search. His cold, dead eyes fell on a small teen in a chair, fast asleep. Bindings on her wrists keeping her in place. Moonlight flooded in through a window and enveloped her for just a moment, and in his heart Vincent knew that image would stay with him forever.

"Yuffie" he muttered. The little ninja stirred immediately.

"Vincent!" she shouted, apparently unaware she had been moved, she struggled against her restraints in an attempt to get closer to Vincent. Vincent laughed slightly, keeping his face as pain free as he could to avoid scaring his little whirlwind.

"Who attacked you? Was it Sephiroth? Tell me please" Yuffie begged

"Calm down, I don't know who it was, they were hooded and I couldn't see their face."

"But the sword, if it was Sephiroth he would have had the Masamune." A pleading tone entered her voice, she needed to know.

"I don't know Yuffie" Yuffie picked up on the slightest change in tone, something was wrong, then she realised.

"You, you're lying to me" she couldn't believe it, every fibre of her being wanted to be wrong, but she couldn't shake the bad feeling she had.

"Only, because I don't want you going after him Yuffie, you're my little whirlwind. I care too much to lose you to him."

_So, he is the one who attacked my Vincent_

"One question" Yuffie requested, "Why do you call me little whirlwind?"

Vincent smiled widely, for the first time Yuffie had ever seen.

"Because, you never stop moving" Vincent closed his eyes for a few moments, guilt for trying to lie to Yuffie making it difficult to look at her.

_It's just one more sin to add_

Slowly he opened his eyes again, but Yuffie was gone, free of her bindings. Fear gripped Vincent, an unusual feeling for the red cloaked ex-Turk, he went to shout, to warn someone that Yuffie had vanished, that she was going after Sephiroth. His voice wouldn't work. Gathering his strength Vincent pulled himself up slowly, his pain less apparent as concern for Yuffie took over.

Somehow getting up from his bed, Vincent walked slowly, holding onto the walls as every step made him feel faint. He stumbled by the door for a moment, his breath suddenly gone and his wounds aching terribly. Sucking in his breath Vincent continued into the main hall. Everyone was asleep in the main room, sleeping on whatever they could. Looking over them hoping one of them was awake, he didn't think he could make it down the stairs and remain conscious. Barret was fast asleep, using Red XIII as a pillow, Cait Sith slept on it's mechanical body in a corner happily. Cid on the other hand had collapsed happily on the floor with a grin on his face.

"Vincent, you need to get back into bed, come on" It was Tifa, the normally happy and enthusiastic martial artist somehow seemed subdued, like she wasn't really aware of her surroundings, or that she just didn't care.

"Tifa, it's Yuffie, she's gone" Pain flooded through him and he nearly lost his balance. Tifa caught him, "Gone after Sephiroth"

**In the Nibelheim Reactor**

Alone, and slightly bored Sephiroth sat on the Reactors steps. The Masamune resting against his side. Deep in thought about recent events. They had found him, near a wounded Vincent and the Masamune covered in blood. How was he supposed to explain he had nothing to do with it? His blade was already covered in blood from slaying the monsters in the mansion. But of course, it did look bad for him. Few people could beat Vincent in battle. And the look Yuffie had in her eyes, accusation and hatred. Something he'd never seen from her, even back in the North Crater

_What can I do? I cut the bridge to buy myself some time, but unless Vincent recovers and tells them it wasn't me I could be in trouble here_

"Hmm," he yawned suddenly. "Well no point trying to think while I'm sleep deprived." Rising slowly Sephiroth entered the Reactor, capsules full of monsters greeted him. The very same ones that had drove him insane. Blocking out the insecurity they made him feel, Sephiroth found an open and empty pod, disconnected from the pipes. Looking it over and finding it to be safe, the fallen angel climbed into the pod and using his long midnight black coat as a quilt attempted to go back to sleep.

Something about the way he was sleeping reminded him of Wutai, when he had slept under the stars, except, he probably would have felt safer on that battlefield than he did in the Reactor, knowing that not that far away were very angry, and very skilled fighters who all probably hated him.

_Even Tifa_

Something felt weird when he thought about her, her crimson eyes and bubbly personality, clever, yet not so much that it was off-putting like it was with himself. When Sephiroth's mind considered Tifa, he felt his stomach churning, but at the same time felt oddly at ease. He'd never felt like this before.

The always confident first class SOLDIER general felt nervous, for the first time in his life.

Slowly Sephiroth's eyes closed, but it wasn't to be for long.

In his dreams, Sephiroth stood on a green lake, a faint glow coming off it's liquid surface. Staring at it, The Man in The Black Cape quickly realized what he stood on.

"So, why am I dreaming about the Lifestream?" Sephiroth wondered.

"Hey Sephi!" someone shouted behind him.

Sephiroth didn't turn

"Zack" he spoke clearly, unfazed by the dream

"So, you havn't seen me for this long and now you won't even look at me? I'm hurt" Zack moved in front of Sephiroth, his arms crossed. The Buster Blade not in it's place.

"What is it?" Sephiroth asked, aware that this was no simple dream. Zack ran a hand through his charcoal coloured spikes, making them more prominent.

"You, my friend, are in a very interesting place, look, Aerith sent me, she couldn't face you herself."

"Please, continue" Sephiroth muttered, trying to keep the icy tone out of his voice.

"AVALANCHE is falling apart without Cloud, you need to hold them back or you can guarantee JENOVA her victory." Zack put a hand on Sephiroth's head suddenly, before the ex-SOLDIER could swat it away, a cold feeling rushed through him, one that left him on edge with a bad feeling in his gut.

"Of course, that won't be easy." Zack started to vanish "JENOVA needs to be stopped, if you were to be considered a threat to the Planet, if she succeeds nothing will survive.

Sephiroth woke up with a start, eyes wide, body un-responding. Looking around the Reactor had gone dark, a person appeared next to him, a flash of a giant shurikan cut through the air towards Sephiroth's exposed throat.


	5. Chapter 5: Appearance

Thanks once more for the review and all the rest, i'm sure you guys are getting bored of reading this on every chapter but it just wouldn't feel right if i didn't put this here. Enjoy the chapter. Also it's Easter now so i should be able to update a bit more regularly

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing

Chapter 5: Appearance

The shurikan was millimetres away from the white flesh of Sephiroth's neck. Instinct rousing the genius general, he managed to dodge it's deadly point. The steel crashed into the pod, it's edge resting against the side of his neck. Mako infused eyes scanned the darkened room. Yuffie stood above him, murderous intent in her eyes. Another thing Sephiroth noted with trepidation as Yuffie struggled to free the shurikan, was the she had moved the Masamune, the giant blade now rested back at the entrance. The ninja was taking no chances.

"Yuffie! It wasn't me!" Sephiroth shouted as Yuffie freed her shurikan. Stabbing again a Barrier spell burst into life, blocking the second stab. Sephiroth was as confused as Yuffie.

_When did I get Materia?_

Yuffie, emboldened by rage stabbed continually at the Barrier, steadily the Barrier began to crack. Despite himself, Sephiroth prepared to defend himself. Zack had told him to keep AVALANCHE together and killing Yuffie would make that a bit difficult.

As the Barrier shattered into nothingness, Sephiroth kicked out, knocking Yuffie away. Leaping to his feet, he ran for the Masamune. As he reached for the blade Yuffie's shurikan span towards him, cutting across his outstretched arm. Blood sprayed from the wound. Ignoring the pain, the fallen angel gripped his katana, confidence returning as he faced off with Yuffie, armed with another shurikan. From his wrist Sephiroth could feel the power of several Materia, but not knowing what they were he chose not to use them. Except Barrier if he needed too.

"You're going to die for hurting my Vincent" Yuffie's eyes were cold and dead. Her anger making her unpredictable. Slowly she pointed her palm at Sephiroth.

"Die" Fireballs burst from her open palm, striking Sephiroth with lightning speed. The ex-SOLDIER was only saved by his honed instincts and discipline, blocking each of the fireballs Yuffie's shurikan came next. Spinning with incredible force, Sephiroth blocked it, putting the Masamune sideways so he could brace. Sparks flew from the continually spinning shurikan and the katana, the clashing forces pushing Sephiroth steadily backwards until he had his back against the Reactor door. With a forceful swipe of his Masamune Sephiroth knocked the shurikan away. Only Yuffie was there in a moment, rushing him with a giant fireball in hand. Sephiroth couldn't move fast enough as it crashed against his chest, tearing at his clothes then exploding; throwing him out of the Reactor in a blast of fire and smoke.

Sliding across the hard ground tore at his skin. Yuffie stood in the doorway, rearmed, it was then Sephiroth realised he had lost. A hand gripped his neck and lifted him up. Barret stared into his eyes.

"I was right about you" Sephiroth was thrown back into the dirt. His breath was gone as he struck the ground. Desperate and afraid he looked around, around him was AVALANCHE, all of them, including Vincent who was slouched against Cid.

Barret raised his gun at the fallen angel, covered in dirt and wounds. Blood ran down Sephiroth's chest and it was hard to breath.

"Well this is fun. The almighty Sephiroth sprawled in the mud and AVALANCHE, who always harped on about saving the Planet killing someone who could increase their chances." Everyone looked towards the voice. It came from the Reactor.

"Up here." They looked up, Cloud stood there, a white wing protruding from his shoulder.

"JENOVA" Sephiroth muttered

"I'm disappointed Sephiroth, you can't even kill Vincent without my help. Then again, I did get you to attack him." Cloud looked thoughtful for a moment "I've been watching you, you are fools. Falling for such simple tricks. I did intent to kill that red caped bastard. But Sephiroth didn't seem capable."

"I didn't attack him." Sephiroth muttered, pulling himself to his feet. Agony tore through his body, weakening him. His legs threatened to fall beneath him, but Red XIII caught him and supported him.

"You did attack him. You thought I would just leave your mind? Idiot. No, I was waiting for the time where you could do some damage. The only reason i've came now is because I lost control not long a go."

"Get outta Cloud!" Barret shouted, pointing his gun arm towards JENOVA.

"Go ahead and shoot, Cloud will die with me." Barret halted.

"You, will never stop me." Cloud's wing flapped and his shot a few metres into the air where he stopped, suspended by his new wing.

"However as a warning, I'll tell you this. Everybody in Nibelheim, is an employee of Shinra, hired to cover up the Incident from years ago by acting. And I just let Shinra know that you've all joined Sephiroth in his plot to destroy the world. They're coming for you, and by the looks of it. Tifa is still down there." Cloud promptly left, flying away behind the mountains. Sephiroth looked around, JENOVA was right, Tifa was not among them.

"Damn it!" Barret punched the ground. "Right we need to save Tifa, then we'll figure out what to do about you." Barret pointed to him.

"No" Yuffie's voice was loud and clear. "He hurt Vincent, she had always stuck up for this psycho. I say he dies, and Tifa along with him." Red XIII was the first to respond.

"If he was controlled he can't be blamed or his actions," Red spoke calmly.

"Glad to see you're on my side for once Red" Sephiroth mumbled through painful gasps.

"That's no excuse, how should he be allowed to do anything after what he's done?" Yuffie responded, her recently evaporated temper flaring once more.

"Yuffie, calm down. Think things through. You stood up for Cait Sith even though he was a Shinra spy, because he proved himself in the Temple of Ancients. Well didn't Sephiroth when he cleared out the mansion for us to live in. Your too angry too look at this properly." The speaker was Vincent, Yuffie calmed instantly and Sephiroth was relieved.

"Fine, but this isn't over Sephiroth." Yuffie warned, then she left ahead of the group.

"Don't get ahead of yourself Sephiroth. She should never have been able to get in your head in the first place" Vincent was spiteful for the first time anyone had ever heard.

"Lets go" the ex-Turk mumbled, and the group headed back to Nibelheim,

"There ain't nothing more dangerous than a woman scorned Vinnie" laughed Cid clapping him on the shoulder as they went in an attempt to lighten the mood. Vincent gasped in pain. After that they walked in an awkward silence, each wondering what was to happen in Nibelheim.


End file.
